A subduction zone is a region where one tectonic plate is being forced beneath another, leading to the recycling of oceanic crust into the mantle. These zones are significant for understanding the processes of plate tectonics, the formation of mountain ranges, earthquakes, and volcanic activity.
Reference: Stern, R. J. (2002). “Subduction Zones.” Reviews of Geophysics, 40(4), 3-1-3-38.